Globalize the Intifada is an anti-Zionist slogan that has been used for advocating global activism in support of Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation. The Arabic word intifada (Arabic : اِنْتِفَاضَةintifāḍa), derived from the root ن ف ض (n f ḍ) meaning to "shake off", means to rise up and can refer to a popular uprising or rebellion.
In the context of Palestine, it refers to Palestinian uprisings or resistance against Israel, and the call to "globalize" it suggests extending the spirit and actions of these uprisings beyond the regional context to a worldwide movement. [1] [2] [3]
The slogans and related chants have been a subject of controversy and discussion regarding their impact and implications. The slogan has been criticized by some Jewish groups as inciting political violence, terrorism, and anti-Semitism. [4] [5] [6]
The slogan "Globalize the Intifada" has been used as a chant in various anti-Zionist protests, along with variations such as "There is only one solution, intifada revolution" or "Intifada until victory". [11] [2] [12] [6] It has been used against the Israeli actions during the Gaza war. [6] [13] According to users of the slogan, it was chosen as a rallying cry for resistance against what they see as "colonial violence and oppression". [14]
Antiwar protesters in the United States during April 2002 held signs with the slogan in the wake of the Second Intifada and the Iraq war, as a form of racial justice and to protest US involvement in the region. [15]
In October 2023, pro-Palestinian protesters chanted "globalize the intifada" near a library building where some Jewish students were in what has been characterized by critics as an antisemitic incident. New York City Mayor Eric Adams responded to the incident, affirming that hate has no place in New York City and emphasizing the right to peaceful protest. [16] The NYPD later released a statement that students were not barricaded within the library and that the protest had been pre-planned. [17] Pro-Palestinian protesters had planned a march throughout the entire college ahead of time, argued the library had students of multiple backgrounds, and the march itself had Jewish students. [17]
In November 2023, pro-Palestinian group Within Our Lifetime, which supported the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, [18] made a post headlined "Globalize the Intifada" with a map of Israeli and American companies and transit hubs. The post was condemned by elected officials in New York City and by Jewish groups as "a dangerous and abhorrent incitement to violence and poses a direct threat to New York's Jewish communities." [19]
In December 2023, the use of banners utilizing the slogan led to the arrest of nine in London under the Public Order Act. [20] In May 2024, a similar slogan, "Intifada, Revolution!", was used by pro-Palestinian protesters in central London, prompting an investigation by the Met Police. [21]
In June 2025, while campaigning for New York City mayor on the podcast The Bulwark, Zohran Mamdani was asked about the phrase "globalize the Intifada". He described it as a symbolic call for Palestinian human rights, not for violence or antisemitism, adding, "These words have different meanings for many different people... I've been clear that any incitement to violence is something that I'm in opposition to." He said the word "intifada" has been used by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Arabic translations referring to Jewish resistance during World War II. [22] [23] The interview received condemnation from the museum itself and Jewish public figures including Florida U.S. representative Ted Deutch, Jonathan Greenblatt of the ADL, former World Jewish Congress vice president Marc Schneier, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, New York U.S. representative Dan Goldman, and The Atlantic columnist Jonathan Chait. [24] [25] [22] [26] The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum said in a statement without naming him, "Exploiting the museum and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to sanitize 'Globalize the Intifada' is outrageous and especially offensive to survivors. Since 1987, Jews have been attacked and murdered under its banner. All leaders must condemn its use and the abuse of history." [22] Fellow mayoral candidate and Jewish New York City Comptroller, Brad Lander, defended Mamdani, saying, "I don't like the phrase... but I do believe he will protect Jewish New Yorkers and our rights." [27] [24] [28] After Mamdani became the presumptive nominee, U.S. representative and prominent New York Jewish leader Jerry Nadler endorsed him, saying he had spoken with Mamdani and that he would join him in fighting against hate. [29]
Both the Anti-Defamation League and American Jewish Committee interpret the slogan as endorsing acts of terrorism and indiscriminate violence against Israelis and Jews worldwide. [5] [30] According to The Sunday Telegraph , the phrase has been associated with incitement of violence against Jewish communities. [11] Some Jewish writers including David Hazony have interpreted the use of the slogan not just as a challenge to Israel but as being a broader declaration of war against Jews, promoting antisemitism, and calling for violence instead of peace. [31] [32] [33] [34] Following the 2023 death of Jewish-American Paul Kessler after a fatal altercation during dual pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protests, Prime Minister of Israel Yair Lapid criticized the slogan and argued the protests were inherently hateful of Jewish peoples. [35]
During a December 2023 United States congressional hearing with presidents of major universities, representative Elise Stefanik argued the use of the term was a call for genocide of Jewish people. [36]
The call to "globalize" the Intifada through protests and social media posts is seen by critics as an endorsement of past uprisings and a call for their expansion on a global scale. [2] During the Gaza war, some opinion writers argued protesters using the slogan were supporters of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. [37]
Others argue that calls for intifada are not inherently violent, arguing that the term "Intifada" does not translate into genocide, being more correctly translated into "uprising". [38] [39] [40] [41] According to the Forward, though many Jews consider the term to be violent, Palestinians associate "Intifada" with the First Intifada, which was largely non-violent. [42] Some argue the target of "intifada" is the Israeli occupation with the goal of Palestinian independence. [40] [41]
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